Telecom
5 Ways AI is Helping People, Businesses and Governments to Become More Sustainable
AI is a transformational technology that is already bringing meaningful and positive change to people and societies around the world.
Put simply, AI is an effort to build machines that can learn from their experiences, spot patterns and make predictions better than any computer has been able to do before. Using this technology, we can now give governments, businesses and citizens the tools they need to make systemic change, like meeting the climate challenge.
Here are five ways that we and our partners are using AI to help reduce emissions, protect nature and build cleaner environments:
1. Helping communities to predict and prepare for natural disasters
We’re already seeing the impact of climate change in communities around the world, with natural disasters affecting millions of people each year. Being able to predict, prepare for and respond to these crises can be life-saving.
AI can now help us to predict the trajectory of hurricanes, typhoons and floods – so that we can share forecasts and advice on how to stay safe on SOS Alerts and Maps. And by combining satellite imagery with AI analysis, we’re able to identify which areas need help after a disaster has struck – helping rescue organisations reach those most in need quickly.
2. Recovering global wildlife populations
Recovering global wildlife has never been more important – and that’s precisely the aim of Wildlife Insights. The tool uses AI to help conservationists and nonprofits to better track, understand and share insights on wildlife populations.
Conservationists rely on camera traps to monitor wildlife populations. But one camera can take hundreds of thousands of pictures every month – and processing and analysing them is time consuming and inefficient.
That’s where Wildlife Insights comes in. It uses AI to analyse and classify each photo – so that users can instantly filter to see photos only of a particular species, or location.
And, through Google Cloud, different organisations from across the world are uploading, storing and sharing their findings on the platform – removing silos and helping assess results on a global level. In the Philippines, ZSL is using Wildlife Insights to track endemic species – while in Columbia, the WWF and UNDP are helping build a wildlife corridor for jaguars.
3. Cleaning up fashion’s supply chain
The fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to the global climate crisis, with much of their impact occurring at the raw materials stage of the supply chain – like when cotton is farmed, or trees cut down. But when brands source these materials, they often have little visibility on their environmental impact.
Enter Global Fibre Impact Explorer: a tool built in partnership with Stella McCartney, NGIS, Textile Exchange and WWF Sweden to give companies the data they need to make more sustainable sourcing decisions.
The tool, which launches formally later this year, uses Google Cloud and Earth Engine to help brands identify the environmental risks of over 20 fibres, and provides recommendations for risk-reduction activities – including opportunities to work with local communities.
4. Helping prepare for extreme heat
Cities across the world are trying to reduce ‘heat islands’ – patches of a city that become particularly hot in a heat wave. Heat islands are caused by their surrounding infrastructure and lead to poor air quality, dehydration and other public health concerns.
Tree Canopy – part of Environmental Insights explorer – uses aerial imagery and AI to help local authorities identify heat islands, and plan tree coverage to combat them. The tool, which is now being rolled out to nearly 350 more cities globally, has already been used across the US to plant trees in vulnerable areas and parkways, and place bus stops in tree-shaded areas.
5. Giving you more sustainable options
You’re probably already using AI to reduce your emissions without even realising it. Google Maps uses AI to give you the best walking or cycling routes – and to suggest the most fuel-efficient routes for journeys where you need to drive. For electric vehicle drivers with Google built-in, we’re now using AI to recommend the best charging stop for you – based on factors like current traffic, your charge level and expected consumption.
And since 2011, Google’s Nest Thermostats have saved over 120 billion Kwh of energy – enough to power 1 million electric vehicles for over 320,000 miles each. The thermostat uses AI to learn user schedules and adjust the heat accordingly – even turning it off when you’re out.
Airtel Africa reported a profit after tax of $376 million for the half year ended September 30, 2025 as compared to $79 million in the corresponding period last fiscal, benefitting from a $90 million gain largely arising from Nigerian naira appreciation during the current quarter (Q2’26) and the Central African franc (CFA) appreciation during the previous quarter (Q1’26).
Revenues at $2,982 million for the reported period saw strong growth as compared to $2,370 million in the six months of the last fiscal, rising 24.5% in constant currency and 25.8% in reported currency.
The company said constant currency revenue growth reflects the consistent execution of its strategy, supported by tariff adjustments in Nigeria and continued strong growth momentum in Francophone Africa.
“Our strategy has been focussed on providing a superior customer experience and the strength of these results is testament to the initiatives that we have been implementing across the business,” Sunil Taldar, chief executive officer of the company said in a statement.
He said the company has been scaling the network to build additional capacity to facilitate the rise in both digital and financial inclusion.
“The increase in smartphone penetration to 46.8% reflects the substantial demand for data services across our markets but also highlights the scale of the opportunity to further develop the digital economy,” Taldar said.
Capex for the period stood at $318 million. “We have increased our capex guidance for FY’26 to between $875m and $900m – from ‘between $725 million and $750 million’.
This reflects our decision to accelerate our ability to capitalise on the significant growth opportunity that is available across the region, as is reflected by these strong H1’26 results,” the company said.
During the period, the company continued investments in network with the rollout of over 2,350 new sites to over 38,300 sites and an expansion of its fibre network by approx. 4,000 kms to over 81,000 kms.
Vitel Wireless Limited, a GSM second level operator, licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to begin nationwide operations on October 30.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Themed “Blue is Here,” the launch event will unveil E-SIMs, physical SIMs, and smart connectivity solutions for individuals and businesses
With the tagline “Everything Connected,” Vitel aims to redefine communication in Nigeria through innovation, speed, and trust.
In a statement earlier, Vitel Wireless, said it combines reliability with innovation, leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver seamless connectivity and intelligent solutions across the country.
“The company’s services go beyond communication — they integrate safety, mobility, and smart systems to enhance how individuals, businesses, and communities connect,” the statement reads.
According to Engr Kenneth Nwabueze, executive chairman, Vitel Wireless, at the heart of the telco’s mission is a bold vision to redefine mobile communication through technology that not only connects people but also protects them.
He highlighted the features saying the device is embedded with IoT-driven devices, smart logistics solutions and AI-powered safety analytics.
“Vitel Wireless is more than a telecom brand — it’s a movement toward a smarter, safer, and more connected Nigeria. Our goal is to bridge technology and humanity, using mobile innovation to improve lives, empower businesses, and strengthen national security,” Engr. Nwabueze said.
He stated that the Vitel Wireless team has interconnected with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, and Glo, and has a roaming agreement with MTN for nationwide rollout, extending Vitel Wireless coverage as one of the largest networks in Nigeria.
“Vitel Wireless has partnered with NCC and various law enforcement agencies to define and support key regulatory frameworks that now govern the nation’s telecom space in personal and public safety,” he said.
He added that the value added service includes Xphone -free phone calls and low international calling rates, SecureMe -location awareness solution for personal safety, Oga-App -employment enhancement and performance tool, ISEEYOU -AI-based CCTV with real-time alerts, AssetNow -LBS/GPS-based asset tracker, and many more.
“Vitel Wireless’s nationwide rollout signals a new era for the telecom industry — one where connectivity meets intelligence, and technology serves both purpose and people,” Nwabueze added.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, in collaboration with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) through the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, has announced the shortlist of 100 young Nigerian innovators for the second phase of the 2025 Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge.
The initiative, launched in 2024, is aimed at fostering home-grown solutions to Nigeria’s most pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, pollution, community conservation, and sustainability.
According to a joint statement by the organisers, the top 100 were selected from a pool of 2,169 applications received nationwide. The selection process involved a rigorous multi-stage evaluation conducted by 20 expert assessors, guided by a robust framework to ensure fairness and consistency.
“The shortlisted innovators represent the brightest minds committed to environmental resilience,” the statement read. “Their solutions span high-impact sectors and are designed to address both national and continental environmental issues.”
The PachiPanda programme offers participants access to mentorship, technical workshops, seed funding, and a network of industry experts. The next phase will see a further evaluation to determine the Top 10 finalists, who will be unveiled ahead of a three-day sprint pitch and masterclass event scheduled for November 2025 in Lagos.
During the event, finalists will undergo intensive training to refine their business strategies and enhance their solutions for broader impact. Winners of the Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge will advance to the continental Africa PachiPanda Contest, where they will compete with other national champions.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that the programme underscores MTN Nigeria’s commitment to eco-entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability, empowering youth-led enterprises to drive green innovation across Africa.
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